Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

United States Department of Agriculture

A Land Manager’s Guide

Forest Service National Headquarters Introduction

Hummingbirds play an important role in the food web, pollinating a variety of flowering plants, some of which are specifically adapted to pollination by hummingbirds. Some hummingbirds are at risk, like other pollinators, due to habitat loss, changes in the distribution and abundance of nectar plants (which are affected by climate change), the spread of invasive plants, and pesticide use. Rufous Hummingbird nest This guide is intended to help you provide and improve Courtesy of Martin Hutten habitat for hummingbirds, as well as other pollinators, in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. While hummingbirds, like all birds, have the basic habitat needs of food, water, shelter, and space, this guide is focused on providing food— the plants that provide nectar for hummingbirds. Because climate, geology, and vegetation vary widely in different areas, specific recommendations are presented for each ecoregion in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. (See the Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota section, below.) This guide also provides brief descriptions of the species that visit Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota, as well as some basic information about hummingbird habitat needs. Whether you’re involved in managing public or private lands, large acreages or small areas, you can make them attractive to our native hummingbirds. Even long, narrow pieces of habitat, like utility corridors, field edges, and roadsides, can provide important connections among larger habitat areas. Hummingbird Basics

The hummingbird species of Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota are migratory, leaving in August to go to the wintering grounds in Mexico and returning to the US in April and May. Black-chinned, Calliope, Rufous and Broad-tailed hummingbirds breed in Idaho and Mon- tana, while the Ruby-throated Hummingbird breeds in Eastern North Dakota. For hummingbird species to thrive, they need to find suitable habitat all along their migration routes, as well as in their breeding, nesting, and wintering areas. Even small habitat patches along their migratory path can be critical to the birds by providing places for rest and food to fuel their journey.

Wildflowers in meadow. Courtesy of Marguerite Meyer

2 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Food

Hummingbirds feed by day on nectar from flowers, including annuals, perenni- als, trees, shrubs, and vines. Native nectar plants are listed in the table near the end of this guide. They feed while hovering or, if possible, while perched. They also eat insects, such as fruit-flies and gnats, and will consume tree sap, when it is available.

They obtain tree sap from sap wells drilled Western columbine—Aquilegia formosa in trees by sapsuckers and other hole-drill- Courtesy of Gary A. Monroe ing birds and insects. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Water

Hummingbirds get adequate water from the nectar and insects they consume. However, they are attracted to running water, such as a fountain, sprinkler, birdbath with a mister, or waterfall. In ad- dition, insect populations are typically higher near ponds, streams, and wet- land areas, so those areas are important food sources Mountain stream. for hummingbirds. Courtesy of Marguerite Meyer

Hummingbird Species in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

Following are brief descriptions of the hummingbird species most commonly found in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota, as well as a list of other species that are uncom- mon or rare visitors.

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 3 Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)

RANGE—Black-chinned Hummingbirds occur in two Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) in Idaho and Montana, which are BCR’s 9 and 10, and do not occur anywhere in North Dakota. (See the Bird Con- servation Regions section, below.) They are relatively common summer breeding residents throughout Idaho and the western edge of Montana, though occurring only transiently through central Idaho. In winter, they reside in the lowlands of western Mexico. They are most common in areas below 6000 feet and inhabit a variety of habitats associated with water (less than 1/2 mile), including canyons and gulches, ripari- Black-chinned—male Courtesy of Scott Carpenter an corridors, oak and cottonwood, and urban settings. NESTING—Habitat includes canyons or floodplain riparian communities, especially near sycamore or cottonwood. In urban areas, they prefer settings with tall trees and many flowering shrubs and vines. After breeding, they may move to more elevated mountain habitats to feed on nectar-producing flowers. Many will move or stay in urban areas, where flowering plants and feeders are attractive. Typically arriving in April, they migrate south in August. APPEARANCE—Unlike other North American hummingbirds, the wingtips of the Black-chinned Hummingbird look relatively broad and curved when the bird is at rest. While hovering, they pump their tail almost constantly. The adult male is dull green to emerald green above, pale gray to whitish below, becoming dull green on the sides. It has a velvety black gorget with an iridescent purple band below; the purple band can look black in poor light. White on the breast extends around the sides of the neck, contrasting strongly with the all-dark head. The central two tail feathers are green; the others are black, often with a purplish sheen. The adult female is dull green to golden green above and pale gray below. The sides are gray-green and often have a tawny or cinnamon-colored patch on the lower flank. The throat of the female can be unmarked or have dusky streaking or spotting in the center of the gorget. The tail is greenish or blackish, with the three outer pairs of tail feathers broadly tipped with white. Immature birds look similar Black-chinned—female to adult females; refer to a field Courtesy of Scott Carpenter guide for more information.

4 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

RANGE— Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the only hummingbirds that breed in eastern North America, including southern Canada from Newfoundland to just west of the Alberta-British Columbia border. They occur regularly in 38 eastern states but only rarely as vagrants in the western U.S. By mid-October nearly all ruby-throats migrate to central Mexico or Central America as far south as western Panama, returning to Gulf Coast states as early as February before dispersing northward. Migration routes are not well-understood; some ruby-throats have been observed in trans-Gulf migration, but it is likely others migrate overland through Mexico. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds show remarkable site fidelity; banded individuals have been captured in the same nesting areas for as many as nine years, and recent studies have shown similar site fidelity on the species’ wintering grounds in Costa Rica and Belize. Although small numbers of ruby-throats historically overwintered in southern Florida and on the Gulf Coast, in recent winters they have become increasingly common northward to North Carolina’s Outer Banks and, in some cases, even at inland locales Ruby-throated Hummingbird—male in the southern U.S. (Most winter hum- Courtesy of Hugh Vandervoort mingbirds in the eastern U.S. are western species, especially Rufous Hummingbirds.) With their vast distribution across North and Central America, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are arguably the most abundant of all 340-plus hummingbird species. As opportunistic non-specialists, their populations appear stable or on the increase. NESTING— Ruby-throats are birds of the edge; the female typically builds her nest near an open area on a downward-angled branch, sometimes overhanging water. They are far more common in hardwoods than in coniferous forests, from sea level to at least 6,000 feet in the Appalachian Mountains. Because of the density of green vegetation in the eastern U.S., Ruby-throated Hummingbird—female Ruby-throated Hummingbird nests are Courtesy of Hugh Vandervoort

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 5 often less obvious (and more poorly studied) than those for western hummingbirds. Nests have been reported in deciduous and evergreen trees at heights from eye level to 60 feet above ground. Habitat includes woodland and riparian communities in eastern North Dakota. In urban areas, they prefer settings with tall trees and many flowering shrubs and vines. Many will move or stay in urban areas, where flowering plants and feeders are attractive. Typically arriving in April, they migrate south in August. APPEARANCE— The adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s bright metallic red gorget gives the species its name. Adult males also have iridescent green backs, dark flanks, and forked tails with pointed dark feathers. Females of any age are green- backed and all white beneath, including the throat; tips of the outer three tail feathers are rounded and white. Immature (first year) males resemble females—including the tail; their throats may be all white, streaked in green or black, and/or with one or more red feathers. Although adult males of some other western North American species have metallic red gorgets (e.g., Broad-tailed Hummingbirds), they should not be called or confused with “ruby-throats.” Female ruby-throats are up to 25% larger than males. Both sexes have straight black bills. Because all Ruby-throated Hummingbird colors except white and black are iridescent, even individual birds will look different as light conditions change. Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope)

The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest breeding bird in North America and is the smallest long-distance avian migrant in the world. Calliope Hummingbirds occur in BCRs 9 and 10 in Idaho and Montana, and do not occur in North Dakota. RANGE—They are common summer residents in mountain habitats east of the Cascades crest. They migrate through both montane and lowland habitats. Spring migration is mainly through lower elevations along the Pacific Flyway. Fall migration is through both the Pacific and Rocky Moun- tain Flyways, at a wider range of elevations, from mountains to desert riparian corridors. The Calliope Hummingbird can be observed in the summer throughout mountainous Calliope Hummingbird—male Courtesy of Scott Carpenter parts of Idaho and western Montana, especially along riparian corridors such as rivers.

6 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Calliope Hummingbird—female Courtesy of Scott Carpenter

NESTING—Preferred nesting habitat is montane conifer forests, primarily in shrub-sapling seral stage into second-growth following fires or logging, and usually near (within 1 mile) of riparian habitat. They breed mostly in mountain areas from British Columbia to California, Nevada, and Utah. They breed mainly at middle elevations (4,000 to 7,000 feet), but sometimes as high as timberline (above 9,000 feet) and down to lower forest margins (500 feet). APPEARANCE—The male Calliope Hummingbird weighs about the same as a penny—about half as much as a male Anna’s Hummingbird. The adult male is bright green above and creamy white below with a green wash on the sides and flanks. The adult male’s gorget is iridescent, wine-red to magenta-red, and, unlike other North American hummingbirds, separated into distinct rays that fan across its throat. The male can elevate the rays into a starburst display against the white background of its throat. Wingtips extend to or slightly beyond the short tail. Tail feathers are dull gray, variably edged with cinnamon at the base. The adult female is bright green to golden green above and creamy white below, with a rusty wash on the sides, flanks, and across the lower breast. The gorget is evenly spotted with dusky to brownish bronze. The tail usually falls short of the wingtips. The adult female looks much like female Rufous or Allen’s Hummingbirds, but it is smaller with a shorter bill, shorter tail, and less rust at the base of the tail. Immature birds look similar to adult females. Calliope Hummingbirds often cock their tails upward, perpendicular to the body, while hovering.

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 7 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)

RANGE—The Broad- tailed Hummingbird is a long-winged, high elevation hummingbird whose migratory breeding populations range north across the Rocky Mountains to southern Montana and west through forested regions of Nevada and Broad-tailed Hummingbird—male Courtesy of David Inouye just barely make it into eastern California. This species occupies a wide variety of mountain habitats including piñon-juniper, pine-oak, montane riparian areas and wet meadows, and areas of open mixed conifers including fir, spruce, and pine, typically at higher elevations than Black-chinned Hummingbird; these two species have only a narrow range of overlap around 6000 feet. The Broad-tailed Hummingbird occurs in BCRs 9 and 10 in Idaho and Montana, and is generally not found in North Dakota. It spends the summers breeding in southern Idaho and parts of western and southern Montana. It winters as far south as Guatemala. FOOD—Broad-tailed Hummingbirds primarily consume nectar from flowers such as red columbine, Indian paintbrush, sage species, currants, and scarlet mint. Broad- tailed Hummingbirds also feed from flowers that are not typically used by other hummingbirds, including Broad-tailed Hummingbird—female Courtesy of David Inouye pussywillows, and glacier lilies. They will also eat small insects, gleaning them from leaves and snatching them from midair. NESTING—Nest site selection and construction is done entirely by the female and can begin as early as late April, and ends by late July. Nests are typically observed

8 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota on low horizontal branches of willows, alders, cottonwoods, pines, firs, spruces, or aspens, generally 3-13 feet above ground. Their nests are often located over water. Broad-tailed Hummingbirds mainly breed between 6,000-10,000 feet, but have been observed nesting at elevations over 10,700 feet. After breeding, they follow the path of blooming plants southward. APPEARANCE— These mid-sized hummingbirds have longer tail and wings than any other North American Selasphorus species. The male is green above and white below with an iridescent, rosy-red gorget. The male may be known at once due to the loud, cricket-like wing trill sound it produces with its wings. These specialized flight feathers allow him to be heard from about a 100-yard distance, making his presence obvious. The female is green above and white below with rusty sides and rust at the base of the tail. Females can be distinguished from other Selasphorus species by a white eye-ring and long rectrices, which make their tails look longer and broader when fanned.

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)

RANGE—The Rufous Hummingbird travels farther north than any other hummingbird, wintering in Mexico and migrating to breeding sites as distant as Alaska. Although a relatively small hummingbird, it has an aggressive nature and frequently chases larger hummingbirds from nectar sources. It is an important pollinator in the cool, cloudy Pacific Northwest, where cold-blooded insect pollinators are at a dis- advantage. They begin arriving in western Washington in March. East of the Cas- cades, they arrive a month or more later, depending on the weather. It typically breeds in association with moist, temperate coniferous rainfor- est in association with Salal (Gaultheria shallon) and Ever- green Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)—although they have been cited breeding in gulches adjacent to the snake river, miles from this habitat. Fall migration begins in June and Rufous Hummingbird—female Courtesy of Jim Cruce is split between the Pacific and Rocky Mountain Flyways. As with other hummingbirds, Rufous Hummingbirds typically move to higher elevations for the fall migration, following nectar flowers. The Rufous Hummingbird is a common and widespread hummingbird species

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 9 throughout mountainous Idaho and western Montana, occurring in BCRs 9 and 10 in those states, and is not usually found in North Dakota. NESTING—For breeding, they prefer second-growth forest, including clearcuts, burns and gaps. They will also use mature forests, parks, and residential areas— from sea level to 6,000 feet. Spring migration is mostly Rufous Hummingbird—male Courtesy of Jim Cruce along the Pacific Flyway. APPEARANCE—The back of the adult male Rufous Hummingbird is cinnamon-colored (rufous), sometimes spangled with green and rarely more than half green. The underparts are creamy white with a rufous “vest.” The crown is bright green, and the gorget is iridescent scarlet to orange, appearing golden or yellow-green from some angles. The tail extends past the wingtips. The rufous tail feathers are black-tipped and pointed. The adult female is bright green above and white below, strongly washed with rufous on the sides, flanks, and undertail coverts. The face and sides of the gorget are also washed rufous. The gorget is off-white, spangled with green to bronze (concentrated on the sides). The throat is marked with red-orange, from just a few spangles to a large patch. The rounded tail extends past the wingtips; it is rufous at the base and banded with black. The outer three pairs of tail feathers have white tips. Immature birds look similar to the adult female, although the immature males typically show more rufous on the rump and lower back as well as heavier markings on the throat.

Others

Other hummingbird species are sometimes, though rarely, seen in Idaho, Montana, and/or North Dakota. They include: Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) This species has been expanding its range east from Washington, and a few individuals have been cited in Idaho, but it is not yet known to be a regular resident or breeder.

10 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Bird Conservation Regions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

The United States North American Bird Conservation Initiative Committee is a coalition of government agencies, private organizations, and bird initiatives in the United States. The committee is working to ensure the long-term health of North America’s native bird populations. Bird conservation initiatives have produced national and international conservation plans for birds as well as regional plans for numerous BCRs, which are ecologically distinct regions in North America with similar bird communities, habitats, and resource management issues. The regional plans provide more detailed information on population objectives and habitat needs for birds in specific landscapes. The four BCRs in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota, the Great Basin (BCR 9), the Badlands and Prairies (BCR 17), the Prairie Potholes (BCR 11), and the Northern Rockies (BCR 10), are shown on the map (below).

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 11 Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

Land within Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota lies within seven ecoregions (see below—codes in parentheses), which are shown on the map: Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. The ecoregion boundaries differ from those of the BCRs and their relationship is as below. (331) Great Plains-Palouse Dry Steppe (GPPDS) – lies within BCR 11 and BCR 17 (332) Great Plains Steppe Province (GPSP) – lies within BCR 11 (M332) Middle Rocky Mountains Steppe (MRMS) – lies within BCR 9, BCR 10, and BCR 17 (251) Prairie Parkland (Temperate) Province (PPTP) – lies within BCR 11 (M331) Southern Rocky Mountain Steppe (SRMS) – lies within BCR 10 (M333) Northern Rocky Mountains Forest-Steppe (NRMFS) – lies within BCR 10 (342) Intermountain Semi-Desert (ISD) – lies within BCR 9 and BCR 10

Note: Ecoregion map adapted from http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/ecoregions/images/ maps/ecoregions-united-states-sample.jpg The Pollinator Partnership website (www.pollinator.org) will show you which ecoregion you are in just by entering your postal zip code (under “Planting Guides” on the website). If you wish to supplement the information presented in this guide, for example, to attract other pollinators or to learn about other ecoregions, the Pollinator Partnership offers planting guides for ecoregions throughout the United States. The website provides additional tools and connections to useful resources for pollinator and plant information.

12 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Hummingbird Nectar Plants for Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

The following table(Hummingbird Nectar Plants for Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota) lists some plants that are nectar sources for hummingbirds. These plants are native to Idaho, Montana, and/or North Dakota, and are adapted to conditions in the ecoregions indicated in the table. The table also provides basic information on habitat and light, soil, and water needs. Finally, the tables provide seed sources for each plant valid as of July 2015. A directory of the seed sources follows the tables. Use locally-adapted genetically appropriate plants in all your restoration and pollinator en- hancement work. Seed zones—areas with genetically similar plants—help determine the right plant materials to use; poorly chosen plants usually fail to thrive. See http:// fs.bioe.orst.edu/web_maps/S_Zones_1Oct2013.html for provisional seed zones of Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico, and select plant materials from your zone. Planting non-natives to attract hummingbirds is against policy and destructive: these plants become invasive and disrupt ecosystems. For example, yellow toadflax(Linaria vulgaris, also called “butter and eggs”) is attractive to hummingbirds but is a noxious weed.

Yellow Toadflax Courtesy of Colorado State University Extension–Adams County

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota 13 Hummingbird Nectar Plants for Ecoregions in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

Common General Hatitat/ Botanical Name Ecoregion1 Bloom Season Sunlight Soils, Water Seed Source2 Name Elevation GPPDS GPSP MRMS PPTP SRMS NRMFS ISD Trees and Shrubs Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick X X X X Mar-Jun Sun to shade Dry to moist, rocky or Rocky, open woods; dry, NSF, SMN sandy, acid soils sandy hills; mountainous regions

Gaultheria shallon Salal X Apr-Jul Sun to shade Dry to wet, moist peaty soil Coniferous forest understory SMN Lonicera caerulea Sweetberry X X X May-Jun Sun Moist, sand to clay Wetlands, mountainous areas Honeysuckle

Lonicera involucrata Twinberry Honeysuckle X Mar-Aug Shade to sun Moist, well drained Moist or wet, open woods SMN from sea level-10,000’

Lonicera utahensis Utah Honeysuckle X X X Jun-Jul Sun to partial shade Moist High-elevation shrub communities, wooded slopes, coniferous woods

Mahonia aquifolium Oregon Grape X Mar-May Partial shade to shade Moist to dry, well drained Deep, conifer forests; open, NSF, SMN acid loam rocky woods

Mahonia nervosa Cascade Barberry X May-Jun Partial shade Dry to moist, well drained Wooded slopes below 6000’ NSF, SMN Mahonia repens Creeping Barberry X X May-Jul Partial shade Dry to moist, well drained Dry, open woods & hills at NSF, SMN, WNS high elevations

Menziesia ferruginea Rusty Menziesia X X X May-Jun Sun to shade Moist Shady to open coniferous woods with acid humus, moist slopes, streambanks

Ribes spp Various Currants IGG, NSF, SMN Ribes Aureum Golden Currant X X Apr-May Sun to partial shade Dry to moist Moist to drier hillsides & IGG, NSF, SMN river valleys

Ribes inerme Whitestem Gooseberry X X X Apr-Jun Sun to shade Well drained, dry to moist By streams, in ravines and on mountain slope

Ribes montigenum Mountain Gooseberry X X X Jun-Aug Sun Dry, rocky Middle subalpine zone to WNS timberline

*Ribes sanguinium Pink-flowered Currant X Jan-May Sun to shade Dry to moist Canyons and north slopes in SMN the coast ranges, below 7000’

Ribes viscosissimum Sticky Currant X X X X May-June Sun to shade Moist to wet Mountain forests, streambanks, and plateau sagebrush

Rosa woodsii Woods’ Rose X late spring Partial sun Moist Understory plant in dry and IGG, NSF, SMN moist forest communities

Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry X X May-Aug Sun to shade Rocky Open, wooded hillsides; PR, SMN stream banks; canyons

*Rubus spectabilis Salmonberry X Mar-Jun Shade to sun Moist, acidic Low, moist woods; stream SMN banks; montane slopes

Rubus spectabilis Salmonberry X Mar-Jun Sun to shade Moist to dry Low, moist woods; stream SMN banks; mt. slopes

14 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota Common General Hatitat/ Botanical Name Ecoregion1 Bloom Season Sunlight Soils, Water Seed Source2 Name Elevation GPPDS GPSP MRMS PPTP SRMS NRMFS ISD Trees and Shrubs Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick X X X X Mar-Jun Sun to shade Dry to moist, rocky or Rocky, open woods; dry, NSF, SMN sandy, acid soils sandy hills; mountainous regions